This page is a compendium of items of interest - news stories, scurrilous rumors, links, academic papers, damnable prevarications, rants and amusing anecdotes - about LAUSD and/or public education that didn't - or haven't yet - made it into the "real" 4LAKids blog and weekly e-newsletter at http://www.4LAKids.blogspot.com . 4LAKidsNews will be updated at arbitrary random intervals.

Friday, November 30, 2012

November 30, 2012 12:02 PM :: LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An attorney representing alleged child sex abuse victims from Miramonte Elementary School Friday called for a more thorough audit of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

KNX 1070′s Pete Demetriou reports the reaction comes after a state auditor criticized the district for failing to report 150 cases of teacher misconduct.

Attorney Brian Claypool said that while an audit released Thursday marked a step in the right direction, the district needs to determine a better method of handling abuse allegations after LAUSD officials failed to report cases of suspected child abuse to the credentialing commission.

The 62-page audit released Thursday found that of 604 cases of alleged abuse dating as far back as July 1, 2008, that were submitted for review over the course of three months, at least 144 were submitted after a year or more.

Thirty-one additional cases were submitted more than three years after they were initially reported, according to the audit.

In response to the findings, Claypool said the time for audits has passed.

“Unless there is criminal culpability on officials at LAUSD who are intentionally harboring suspected child predators, in our opinion, there will never be the type of change that we need within the LAUSD,” he said.

Claypool signaled his plans to forward the state auditor’s report along with letters from parents and other citizens calling for action to the District Attorney’s office and the FBI.

LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy, however, said the district has taken the necessary steps to address any deficiencies.

“We’ve put into place numerous policy changes and practice changes, including notification to parents, notification to state authorities,” said Deasy.